I saw Happies Hand Made all over social media, so I made a note to check it out next time I'm craving fried chicken. Happies is located in Arts District and I came here on a Sunday dinner and didn't have any problems with parking. But, I can see how it might be hard to find if you come during peak hours. The restaurant was pretty empty. First thing I noticed was that there were tons of employees but no one really said anything. Since there was no one ordering, they were all standing around. You can just order at the kiosk but I wanted to ask a few questions but was kind of left to fend for myself. I ended up ordering the chicken tenders and chicken tenders with salad. I thought the restaurant ambience was nice. And after waiting for about 10 minutes, my order came out. They gave me extra sauce but again no explanation on why the extra sauce was provided. As for the food, I thought the chicken was kind of bland. I expected some Sichuan style but hardly any spice on the chicken. Once of the sauces was a Sichuan chili crisp, which gave the chicken more taste. Maybe the chicken was bland because I was supposed to dip it in the sauces? Aside from that, the other sauces were average (ranch and sweet/sour sauce). The salad was definitely a huge miss. They didn't dress the salad properly and only put dressing on top, so I just got a bunch of romaine lettuce at the end. The best part of my meal was the fries, which was crispy and fresh. Also, the fries were pretty generous. I think that the food was just average. Probably will not come back here but glad I came to check out what the hype was about. read more

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I enjoyed the flavor here. The salad, and the fries were my favorite. The chicken had a really good crunch and flavor as well. I was hoping to return to them, but it looks like they are temporary closed. read more

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Happies Hand Made is known for their handmade chicken tenders and it is owned by Joshua Skenes, who received three Michelin Stars when he was leading Saison in San Francisco. This said, the attention to detail in everything here is top-notch and the flavors are great. The chicken tenders are well-seasoned, juicy, and they have really nice flavor. They also have a ton of sauce options for your tenders. Their chili crunch sauce has flavors from Sichuan Peppercorn, that gives nice flavor and numbing sensations. They have a sweet chili sauce that is mildly sweet. I also got a standard hot sauce, that was vinegary like a Crystal Hot Sauce. Their cherrywood smoked Chicken Wings were a show-stealer and it's what I will ultimately crave from here. Though each wing will cost you $4, their wings are huge, and the one piece consists of a drumette, wingtip, and wingette/flat. The smokey flavor was so present that I didn't use any sauces and I cleaned the wing more thoroughly than I clean my home. Their fries were also sensational as they were very lightly battered for crispness and they were very well seasoned, then they were fried in tallow. They had an unbelievably savory taste from the tallow. Though I usually douse my fries in ketchup, I didn't even open the packets I grabbed. The fries are perfect, and they need nothing else. With the combo I ordered, I also got a waffle and this was also really good. It reminded me of the flavors, seasoning, and spices you get at places like Roscoe's; however, unlike Roscoe's, it had perfect crispness. Don't miss it. I wish I could order a stack of these for breakfast. To drink, I couldn't pass up their house made sodas. Got a yuzu-up ($7), which was a very citrus-forward soda. It was honestly a little too tart for me; however, the house-made whipped cream that they put on top provided balance. I wanted to ask for more cream. Prices were on the high side; however, I felt that they were worth the cost. Not only do they have high quality preparation and ingredients, but the chicken pieces were also huge. One of their tenders was easily twice as large as you'd get at a chain. Their smoked wings, though they were $4, consisted of a complete chicken wing, which counts as 2.25 pieces at a wing chain. Overall, I'm so happy I stopped by here and I would definitely come back! If you're on the fence, just ask yourself if you like flavor. read more

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Happies Hand Made is located in the Art's District near Urth Caffe. If you know the Art's District, the parking is hard to find. We were lucky and got a spot right across. I really like the look and feel of the place. We arrived when it first open and the line was out the door. You stay in line and order off a kiosk. There are two kiosks to order off of. I felt like the line move really slow. They do offer combo meals but we ended up ordering three giant tenders and a honey comb silken soft serve. Both items we ordered were really good. The chicken had a good enough breading and was super tender. It was some good chicken. The sauces is where they could have shine but we sample about five sauces and all the sauces were a miss for me. The chicken were big in size but for $7 a strip, I'm not sure how many times I would come back. One thing I would come back for is their honey comb soft serve. This soft serve was light and creamy like eating whipped cream. I love the cereal pieces and the chuck of honey comb. It was delicious together. Perfect dessert for a very hot day. They also have tallow fries and waffles, I would be back to try. For drinks, they offer fruit sodas, cold brew coffee, tea, beers, and cocktails. Very limited choices but some are unique. Overall, check this place out if you're cravings for chicken tenders or soft serve. read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I want to give a 3.5 but will round up to a 4. Decided to try this spot out after seeing it all over social media. Parking was difficult (as expected on a weekend). The space itself was clean and modern, and seating is shared with Tatsu Ramen. We ordered 4 tenders (2 spicy chili crisp and 2 traditional ones) but all the tenders came out looking the same. When we asked about this, we were told that they received complaints about their sauce being "too spicy" so they now give the spicy sauce on the side. We also got the fries and Cherry smoked wings. The fries and wings honestly stole the show and I would get those again. Although the tenders had a nice flavor and were moist, the breading fell off constantly. Additionally, trying to lather the spicy sauce ourselves didn't work- perhaps the sauce sticks when it's fresh out of the fryer and done in a bowl by the kitchen team. Overall, I would go back if someone else wanted to. read more

Happies Hand Made - Beef tallow fries, wings, and tenders - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cute place! We placed our order on the iPad at the counter. I got the 2 chicken tender order, a side of fries and the honeycomb soft serve. The chicken was not my favorite. The tender size is big. The skin came off after each bite. Not much flavor to the skin or chicken. The French fries are good and seasoned very well. The honeycomb soft serve was interesting. The soft serve itself has a strong milk taste. The honey and cereal elements makes the dessert really taste like a bowl of cereal lol 3 stars for the fries and soft serve. I want to try the passion fruit soft serve next time read more

Happies Hand Made - Honeycomb soft serve - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

After reading about Happies Hand Made in a few food publications, I decided to try the restaurant out on a weekday evening. It's in the Arts District, so street parking can be a challenge (though I was able to find a spot within walking distance). You order via a screen and then wait for staff to announce when your food is ready. They have various booths for seating, and I found some single seats on the side wall that were great for a solo eater. I got the two giant tenders, and they were definitely sizable! I did notice that some of the crispy coating came off while eating, and while that was a bit of a miss I still enjoyed the tenders overall. The tallow fries were seasoned well and very crispy; I would definitely order these again! read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We decided to come check this chicken place out. Love the interior design and this place is not a fast food place. There was a wait for the food to be ready. Self-ordering on the tablet and there is ice water available and to go boxes on the counter, also self-serve. I got the cherry smoked chicken wings combo and their sweet bread and tallow fries were amazing. Place is a little expensive but that is what it is now a days. Place was super clean and the portions are shareable, everyone does not have to order their own thing. We had left overs that we took home. I also tried their passion fruit drink and it was pretty good! read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I saw that they had just opened so I decided to order some to try at home. I got a bit of everything. The spicy flavor with chili oil tasted very similar to Chinese-style seasoning. The chicken was fried super crispy and really delicious, and the breast meat wasn't dry at all. We ordered 2 giant tenders, 3 whole jumbo cherry wood wings, and 1 waffle combo. read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was really trying to figure out what the hype was about. Friend and I saw some videos about this place and decided to try it out. I got the waffles & chicken while he got the wings? The good: the portion size Multiple sauces and big containers super & fresh The bad: pricey for chicken tenders Waffle was stale tasting. I know it was fresh but was very odd in texture. Overall, I don't see myself returning. There was nothing special about anything we ate. Decent flavor but nothing to drive out of your way for. read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First rule of order here: please turn up the AC!! It was fairly warm inside, and with the sweltering heat wave, it's not pleasant eating while drenched in sweat. With that said, the chicken tenders were fantastic. The overall menu is small, but when you have a hero item, you make that star shine, and that's exactly what Happies did. It was incredibly juicy and tender on the inside with a batter that was light, super flaky, and not at all heavy. The only miss for me was the dipping sauces, which I didn't love. We also tried the soft serve with honeycomb, and since the photos made it look so cute, which I'm glad we did! It was delicious! The ice cream was almost custard-like, with a soft but dense texture and a rich flavor that paired perfectly with the sweet honeycomb. I also got the Yuzu Up, which had a great flavor but was way too sweet for my liking. I ended up watering it down, and while the yuzu foam on top was tasty, it was still a bit heavy on the sugar. read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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DEAR OWNERS: Please turn on your air conditioning!!! :/ We went to Happies Handmade Chicken and decided to try everything on their menu. Don't worry, it's a pretty small menu, so between three people it was more adventurous than over-the-top gluttonous. The fried chicken was solid: crispy, flavorful, with a unique Sichuan kick that stood out. The beef tallow fries were dangerously good. I almost hate admitting how much I liked them given how indulgent they are, but honestly, they were worth it (and I probably won't be eating fries like this again anytime soon). Surprisingly, the highlight of my visit wasn't even the chicken....it was the cold brew. I originally wanted the version with cream foam I'd seen in photos, but they were sold out. I "settled" for the regular black cold brew and, wow, I am so glad I did. It was unexpectedly sweet, smooth, and layered with flavor, not the plain, bitter cold brew I was expecting. I think there might be chicory in it? Whatever it was, it's easily one of the best cold brews I've had, and I'd come back just for that. The booths were comfortable, but knocking one star off for how hot it was inside:( was so uncomfortable to eat there. TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONING, FOLKS!!! read more

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I was in downtown craving soft serve and my husband told me about this place in Arts District that sells soft serves. I'm so glad I listened to him because it was amazing! The honeycomb cereal was so nostalgic of my childhood mornings and the Frosted Flakes added an amazing crunch and sweetness to the milky soft serve . The honeycomb was rich and sweet. There were many booth tables available and the cashier was really nice. Will be back to try more flavors next time. read more

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Another one of those big hyped spots that missed the mark for me :( I had big expectations with all the buzz that's been going around about this new spot. Especially with so many great chicken spots in LA, you gotta do it right to compete!! Parkings is a toss up since it's street only and arts district can get crowded depending on what time you go. I went around 3pm so i was able to snag a spot across the entrance. It's an iPad style ordering system but it's situated right in front of the open kitchen so if you have any questions about what to order they should be able to answer all of it. One of the guys working yesterday had zero clue about anything tho, which made me sus off the bat.... Not knowing what goes in the Cole slaw and just stood there staring at us def made us feel a little uncomfortable. For a second I thought we weren't allowed to ask. And then I asked the person behind him and he was able to help. Not sure why the original guy didn't redirect us if he didn't know but it was just weird lowkey. PSA- THE CHICKEN DOES NOT COME SAUCEDDDDD. Any of the photos you see of the chicken covered in chilli crisp is not accurate of what you will be receiving. You get a naked tender, and a side of chilli crisp. It's literally just LaoGanMa nothing special. The chicken itself... sigh... I have never had a tender where the breading comes off the moment you bite into it. The entire breaking fell off like taking a jacket off. Leaving us with a naked steamed chicken tenderloin. At that point you're just taking bites of the steamed chicken and a piece of the crunchy breading that fell off. The chicken itself was really bland- but juicy. The flavor was only in the breading. This was a HUGE flop for me. Waffle was crunchy and delicious , no complaints. The fries were the SAVIOR. One of the best fries I've had in a minute. I'd go back just for these and the only reason this review isn't a 2 star. Chicken Sandwich completely fell apart. Just get the tenders combo cuz it comes with everything deconstructed from the sandwich. Ice creams are pretty mid as well. The strawberry looked nothing like advertised, no fresh berries on top just the mashed up syrup and they served it in a cup covered in syrup on the outside, super dirty. Honeycomb was ok but the cereal was stale on top :( They bbq (on the sweet side) and spicy yellow sauce (basically blended yellow peppers like the ones from in n out) was decent. Ranch is REALLY thick almost like a aioli. Not sure if I'll ever come back... maybe if I crave those fries one day. read more

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Just because it's 90 degrees doesn't mean people don't want spicy chicken tenders- because we absolutely do! And so glad I had a solo lunch date. You order at one of two kiosks/screens and it advises they'll call your name and text you when your meal is ready. I loved this as it causes me anxiety that I'll miss hearing my name! The bottled water options were sold out- again, 90 degrees- but they had pitchers of iced water on the pickup counter. Granted I didn't see these until after I picked up my food but oh well- next time! I got the Hawaiian roll combo with 2 sauces: spicy chili crisp and golden berry bbq. I love all things passion fruit and added one of their passion fruit sodas. My meal was ordered at 12:18pm and ready at 12:34pm. I was happy to wait and cool down from my outside walk, looking around while I waited. If it wasn't as hot, I would have gone out for a walk down the street to see what else was nearby since it was clear I was in a popular spot. I got my food packed for take away since I knew I would probably have a few bites and take the rest home, which is exactly what I did. The slaw: 10/10 tangy and crunchy without being too sweet The fries: 100/10 oh. my. gah. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked & I can tell they were going to cause just the perfect amount of regret later lol The tendies: 9.5/10 but only because the crispy bits kept separating from the chicken itself and I was having to put it back together before trying to awkwardly dip it in the sauces Passion fruit soda: 9/10 definitely flavorful but on the sweet side, as most housemade sodas tend to be. It also was not as carbonated as expected. I actually brought half of it home to mix with some club soda. Both sauces were stellar. The spicy chili crisp was *so* good but it made me sweat even more. I needed more air con for that one. The golden berry bbq was so unique and definitely worth a try. I wanted the passion fruit soft serve but the soda was already too sweet and I couldn't have both without upsetting my pancreas. Next visit, I'm starting with dessert! read more

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I very serendipitously walked past this place after we had a mid experience eating next door at Sampa. Walking past the entrance you would think this restaurant was a coming attraction as no line, no view into the restaurant was possible from the outside. But the lightning bolt of recognition came over me when I remembered this is Chef Josh Skenes (founding chef of Saison and Angler in San Francisco) and I'm so glad I got past my anxiety and actually approached the doors and opened them into a world of grooviness and excitement. When you look around you see high ceilings, circular lights, plain text menus, and wooden styling all around. One wall has wall slats with space between so you can see the dining area of their neighbors, Tatsu, which also serves as extra seating. It feels energetic as you see the kitchen being completely open for you to look into and because no one takes your orders but you instead use a digital touchpad to order, all the focus can be on cooking. We already ate at Sampa for brunch so we weren't too hungry so we didn't want to go overboard but wanted to try these popular chicken tenders. We decided to go for their Hawaiian roll combo which comes with one chicken tender, one sauce, red cabbage slaw, 2 Hawaiian rolls, and their famous Tallow fries. We also got their honeycomb soft serve. It was phenomenal! The Hawaiian rolls are grilled so there is a slight crunch to them and the warmth of the griddle made the interior taste even sweeter. The slaw is chopped red cabbage with a little bit of vinegar marinated into it and it was a good balance to all the fried items, adding a nice change in temperature and texture. The chicken tender is MASSIVE, about the size of someone's hand from tip-to-tip. It was also one of the tenderest kinds of chicken tender I've ever had. It lives to that part of the name, most likely from a brine they did of the chicken before dipping it into a crispy but soft, fall off the chicken exterior. Taking a bite into this and you can see why they are so loved and starting to become infamous. Paired with whatever sauce you grabbed with it (we got ranch) and you have a protein that's just like Rick Astley: never going to give you up, never going to let you down. The Tallow fries are a must when visiting. Deep fried in beef tallow the crisp of this fry is accentuated by the savoriness of what it's fried in. Paired with a honeycomb soft serve that felt like you dived face first into the most decadent soft serve you've ever had and you have the best combo ever of sweet & savory, cold & hot. It's the small details here that make everything amazing. From their attention to detail in how they create each chicken tender to the individually packaged wet wipes for people to grab for post chicken tender destruction Happies Hand Made lives up to its name because from beginning to end it'll be hard not to be happy. Definitely try this place! read more

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TLDR: Big Juicy Lao Gan Ma Chili oil Tenders, that's probably best enjoyed in sando form and some sort of sweetness to balance out the salt. A bit of an odd experience. I was super excited to try this place after seeing some of the hype surrounding the place, so I made it a point to get in here ASAP. First the spot is nice, if youre not familiar with the area its over by Urth Cafe and Resident right over at the edge of Arts District. When you walk in no greetings, just 2 big tablets to put your order in on. The problem here is that there was no one to help guide you with any recommendations or any questions. I knew what I was going after but the issue is they have hella sauces and no real explanation of what they are besides their ambiguous names, by default i just chose to add a ranch since it seemed to the safest choice. Regardless, we move forward. 2 tender plate with waffle and fries +1 extra tender along with a strawberry soda, and a milk ice cream w strawberry as well as another tender plate w the hawaiian rolls. We needed to get the whole experience here. The Strawberry Soda was super refreshing! Now comes the confusion. After seeing many pictures and videos of dressed tenders and comparisons to Howlin Rays in terms of flavor I selected the Spicy Tenders for my meal (you can select country/naked or spicy). After about 20 minutes the plate is ready and picked up. The tenders verified huge, but oddly no sauce, no spice, just naked. However they came w a side of chili oil. Mostly confused but unbothered we dipped the tenders into the chili oil, and if youre asian (im half korean) you'll be familiar its essentially lao gan ma or a similar chili oils. This is supposedly the spicy varient. I love me some chili oil too so u can call these chili oil tendies. The problem here is there was no real balance away from all the salt. Salted/brined VERY tender tenders with a batter that was crunchy on the outside but sliding off because the inside was a bit mush, crunchy good salted fries, chili oil, and a pureed yellow pepper sauce that came with the plate. I love savory dishes, but this was a huge salt bomb. Used the ranch to try to salvage some balance but it didnt do it. I will say that the waffle was on point, but weirdly no syrup was provided, and it was a bit busy and the kitchen staff were grinding it out, so I let them do their thing to clear all the orders coming in from the crowd that poured in. This is where I think they would benefit from someone guiding people or some sort of sign with sauce suggestions/pairings. I'm sure the BBQ sauce would have helped balanced it out a bit better. The milk ice cream to end which we hoped to be the savior at the end of the meal seemed to lack any sort of sweetness added which is fair its a milk ice cream, but it was essentially all milk cream with no sugar added. The starwberry puree helped salvage it a bit, but it kept giving the group pure heavy cream vibes. I will say though if our order wasn't just served to us completely wrong by accident then I'd really say to skip going the tender route. Theyre upper tier tenders but if you're supposed to just have these and dip them in the chili oil I dont think they work great by themselves, BUT i will say these tenders probably work best in a sando form. I paired the hawaiian roll with half a tender and the cabbage slaw and some of the chili oil and the sweetness from the roll rounded out the experience a bit more. Todays Lunch came out to about $75 for the 2 plates + extra tendie, 2 drinks, and ice cream which tbh is a bit up there. But honestly what do I really know right we went in blind when it came to ordering. My Recc Skip the tender only route, and get it as a sando w the hawaiian rolls. Big, Juicy, Very Tender Chicken Tendies served with Lao Gan Ma or similar chili oil, but get a sauce that'll balance out the whole experience. Damn this was a long one! To be clear im not slamming the place I'm just sharing my groups experience. It's still a place worth checking out, just assuming we caught it on a growing pains day. It's only up from here! read more

Be prepared to wait. But it is worth the wait. The strips were JUICY. They are not dry. The fries were amazing. I really enjoyed all my food. There were a few down sides but doesn't affect the 5 stars this place deserves. I don't like that ranch was $1.50 :( They're busy so don't expect warm welcomes or chitchat. They are all busy fulfilling order after order. The wait for food is 30 mins. Which is typical. It is clean and modern inside. Also if you are looking for an itemized receipt (business lunches) you may need to ask for it because the receipt I received just showed the order. Unless I'm blind and it printed and I didn't see it. Hahahaha. I ordered: Liquid Waffle w/ 2 Tenders and Tallow Fries $21 1 wing $4.50 Side of ranch $1.50 I regret not getting the drinks or ice cream. I thought I was going beard papas after...I didn't and sadly didn't get my sweets. I got full off of 1 strip and fries. It was huge and so moist. It is cramp but there are seats available. IYNYN I will edit my review later when I eat my waffle but my Boss inhaled his. Like gone. And they have Kerrygold butter!!!! Yum! EDIT: I tried the waffle next day. It was amazing. I can only imagine how much better it would be if I ate it fresh. The butter made it perfect it didn't need the extra syrup. It was delicious as is! I would come back just for the waffle. Next to try is that sundae!!!!!!! read more

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WOW - one of the best if not THE best chicken tenders I've had in a long time. I truly think fried chicken is the best form of chicken and Happies is the cream of the crop. We had the spicy tenders and waffles. The spicy tenders were fried to perfection and had an unbelievable crunch to it. It was so good I found myself eating the seasoning scraps after I finished the chicken! And the waffles were so crispy but also light and airy - DARE I SAY my favorite waffle...ever? Also, THE SAUCES?? Just get them all - but my favorite was the bright yellow habanero one. They also had soft serve on the menu which we didn't try but next time I will for sure save some stomach space for it! Ambiance was laidback and chill right in the heart of Arts District in LA. I will most definitely be back and recommending this to all my fellow fried chicken lovers! read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The Sichuan fried chicken with chili oil was delicious! It was tender and the breading was great. The spicy kick went well and the tallow fries were very good onsite. I had the passion fruit soft serve which was also great and the yuzu-up which was ok. This place is more of a fast dining casual place as they come with your orders fairly quickly but is very good. The staff is super nice and the decor and music matches the restaurant next to it which I think is tatsu. Same with the architecture and space. Parking is a bit of a hassle and confusion since signs aren't super clear. read more

Happies Hand Made - Sichuan fried chicken sandwich with tallow fries, passion fruit soft serve and yuzu-up. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

There's a lot to love here and I'll start with the main event, the chicken. It's huge, juicy, and flavorful. The fries are crispy and love the beef tallow. The sauces taste homemade, elevated, and man, do I love chili crisp. The only reason why this is a 3 is because everything - the chicken and the fries - was sooo over salted. To the point where it was tough to eat and certainly did not make me want to finish the rest of the fries. If they can ease up on the salt, it'd be an easy 5, but bc it was borderline inedible, I'm hesitant to recommend. Though I do want to come back to try the wings and the soft serve! read more

Happies Hand Made - Two chicken tenders, waffle, beef tallow fries, sauces on sauces, alpine strawberry drink - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

After today I will think twice about Tik Tok and Instagram reviewers... If you are like me, always trying to see whats new on the scene. It's easy to scroll looking at other playforms but Holy Smokes is everyone on the take??? Always be leary when people compare a new Resturant to proven champs in thier reviews. Everyone I saw was saying look out Howlin Rays this place is just as good if not better!!! On that note here we go... Fact Howlin Ray's is the Gold Standard for chicken, knowing that Happies is not even standing on the podium!! We ordered 2 3 piece Smoked Wing combos, 2 Chicken Sandwich combos, 2 specialty drinks Passion Fruit and Alpine Strawberry everything totaled $98.23 after tax. My wife wasn't happy feom jump street when we walked in and you coukd smell the fry oil. When she tried her wings they weren't hot. The temperature seemed lukewarm with both are plates, almost like they were under a warming lamp. My kiddos liked the sandwich but comented on how thin the tender was... We felt like they try loading you up with fries so you get full LOL!! The specialty Juice drinks my kids ordered were finished with 3 sips of the straw, this is because there was so much ice in the cups for $7 each there should be a balance (the drinks they liked but way too much ice). On a good note they had some of the best sauces Gogiberry BBQ, Sweet & Sour and Chili Sauces were yum... The resurant has a shared dining area with a Ramen spot so plenty of seating and the air conditioner could use servicing, my family was not comfortable adding to the disappointment in our dining experience. If it wasnt for the fries and sauces I would have scored a 2. The whole family agrees the fries and sauces were the best... read more

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We ordered the chicken sammie, chicken & waffles, and a side of beef tallow fries -- and let me tell you, those friesssss... OMG. Perfectly golden, crispy, crunchy bliss. Exactly how I like them. The passionfruit soda was also bomb; I legit finished mine in about two gulps. The chicken itself was cooked perfectly -- juicy and tender -- and the batter had that ideal crisp. That said, I wish it packed a little more punch flavor-wise. Same with the chili crisp sauce... good idea, but it came off a little bland. With just a touch more seasoning, this place would be dangerous. Of course, we couldn't leave without trying the soft serve because we always leave room for ice cream ;) Plus, the employees were so nice, which always makes the whole experience better. read more

This is the happiest I have ever been. I am not exaggerating. GET HERE NOW. Do not fuck around. Order the chicken and waffles platter (bbq sauce) and a honeycomb ice cream. Even the fries are fucking outrageous. If you are lucky enough to get Daniel, your experience will be unbeatable. I cannot wait to return and bring everyone I know who isn't vegan. read more

I've never been in this part of DTLA. Parking is scarce, depending on day of week and time. Shared space with another restaurant. Happies side was a bit smaller. It sucks that I can't view a menu without price, unless I go to the kiosk. We ended up getting the waffle combo, which included 2 tenders, waffles with maple and butter, and tallow fries. It can't with so many dipping sauces. Like a buffalo hot sauce, sweet chili, chili crisp and the maple syrup. The chili crisp had a strong five spice taste? Like a roast duck. Hot sauce is not my thing. Sweet chili was pretty good, but the best was the maple syrup! Dip everything in that syrup. Even the fries! The tenders were pretty big size. Coating is crunchy. Tallow fries were better than the tenders. The honeycomb soft serve was the best out of everything! I'd have to go back to try the wings, but I would just go back for fries and honeycomb soft serve! The combo was big enough to share for two people. I don't think I'd pay over $25 for myself for the combo. read more

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Just alright chicken tenders. Parking is a beast in this area unless you get here well before this restaurant opens. The ordering process is through a screen which can get annoying behind slow people. There's plenty of seating inside with the shared ramen space. The chicken breading was crispy but not light and more crispy than I prefer (Red Chickz has the style I like). The meat inside was juicy. The sauces were okay and enough per tender. I was intrigued to try this chicken from such a lauded chef but don't think I'll ever come back. The fries weren't bad, however, and had a good coating. read more

Went here for a last minute lunch grab with the family.. we arrived a few minutes prior to opening and there was just one person ahead of us, but as soon as we ordered and sat down the line quickly grew. The chicken was really good, but the tallow fries stole the show! Sooo good and very difficult to stop eating them! we made the mistake of order ing two fries separately.... It was way more fries than we needed. But my kid is happy to take the leftover home to snack on later. We got two orders of big chicken tenders, they came out hot crispy and juicy. We each had our favorite dipping sauce, my son loved the ranch, hubby liked the bbq and I favored the chili oil (same flavor profile of chinese chili oil, but not spicy) .. We also tried the Uzu up, an Uzu soda, the taste reminded me of key-lime pie... very refreshing . read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken tenders - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Enjoyed it but also didn't if that makes any sense. Vibe inside feels old but is also very modern and welcoming, service is both friendly and quick. Fried chicken tenders are huge and plump, breading is great, sides are okay? Massive portion of french fries and a red cabbage, vinegary coleslaw. However I got the spicy, which literally just tops the chicken in a thick layer of chili crisp, and felt very underwhelming - not interesting, especially given they offer chili crisp on the side as a dip, which is probably the way to go. Could be a higher rating but honestly have to go off what I ordered... maybe try again some other time? read more

Happies Hand Made - Inside. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Calling all dessert queens and soft serve lovers! Wow, I have been going past this area frequently and just noticed happies hand made! The decor is engaging and the shop is even better. They have delicious soft serve as well as cold brew. Teas, handmade sodas light bites like chicken tenders n waffles and sandwiches. They share space with the Ramen place next door. A very friendly vibe. It's beautiful and delicious. The honeycomb flavor has cereal and a real chunk of honeycomb in it. I mean, where else can you get this ? Soft serve lovers. Get your butts over to Happies now. I can't wait to try the other flavors they have! Parking is plenty and there's a lot of space in the restaurant. I can't wait to go back. read more

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We went around opening on a Saturday. There was a decent amount of parking around half past noon and also a $5 lot right on the corner if you run out of luck with street parking. Inside it wasn't too busy, but there was a steady stream of patrons coming and going. The place is connected to Tatsu and was very clean with a simple minimal neat aesthetic. We ended up trying the tender combo with some smoked cherry wood chicken wings and a yuzu up. The chicken tenders without any sauce were terrific, a generous breading and great flavor and juiciness by themselves. I like the addition of the chili crisp, it's more of a nice umami component than adding any real spiciness and cuts some of the saltiness of the chicken tender. I also like that they give you the chili crisp on the side so you can add to your preference and change it up with each bite. The fries were really tasty, great bite and the flavor of the tallow really shines through, but they do lose their crispiness quite quickly and lack maybe a triple fry, also a tad bit too salty. The smoked chicken wings were fantastic, they had a really nice prominent flavor of sweet smoke along with a nice crispy skin. The yuzu soda was very refreshing, but a little bit on the sweet side for my taste. If there was one knock, the menu is expensive compared to other chicken places. The tender combo, with three chicken wings and the yuzu side came out to about $50. I'll leave it up to you to decide if it's worth it! read more

Happies Hand Made - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Disappointed that this didn't live up to the hype. Happies doesn't make worst chicken tenders I've had, but its mediocrity makes it hard to compete in LA. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and struggled to find parking on the street. The employees were friendly and nice, but it took a while for the food to come out. The tables were not regularly wiped, so there were crumbs and sticky streaks over most of them. Like what most reviewers noted, the tallow fries are the best item. Perfectly battered and crispy. They honestly saved the meal. The chicken tenders are huge. The only flavor is in the coating, which immediately fell off, leaving a steaming mass of bland chicken behind. The ends of the tenders were dry, but the middle part was moist. The chili oil was nothing special and didn't add much to the chicken. I ended up ordering a side of ranch in hopes that it would add some flavor and moisture, but it was extremely thick and bland. It was reminiscent of thick Greek yogurt with the tiniest pinch of ranch seasoning. Not worth the $1.50 for a tiny container. I also tried the alpine strawberry and passion fruit farmers market fruit sodas. They tasted like artificial sugar water. The strawberry flavoring tasted artificial and had no flavor profile aside from its sweetness. The carbonated water was flat and the sides of the cup were extremely sticky with syrup. The concept is cute, but it's poorly executed aside from the fries. I'm also not a fan of the omission of prices on the menu. It would be nice to see the item prices prior to waiting in line to order on the tablet. read more

Happies Hand Made - Small Just the Tenders (x2) Tallow Fries Alpine Strawberry Passion Fruit soda - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I am a sucker for trying every new spicy chicken spot that pops up in town. Happies Hand Made popped on my radar and I knew I had to come over asap. The tenders were good, even above average, but not mind blowing. The thing that really too me aback here were the fries. Mixed with the chili crisp they offer as the spicy add to the chicken they were actually some of my favorite I have had in a very very long time. Kinda silly that I would come back just for the fries, but I undoubtably will. read more

We stopped by here last month to check out the hype and my entire group was underwhelmed. The space is shared with a ramen spot next door & is dog friendly which is always appreciated. That being said, the chicken wings were solid but didn't blow me away. Just an average plate of large wings. My friends had the tenders and didn't seem impressed by the flavors. The fries were good and the sauces too but felt like the chicken missed the mark. The batter seemed basic and the chicken was not falling off the bone. I feel like if we drove all the way from the valley just for this experience, we would have all left pretty bummed out. Luckily, we were attending a birthday nearby in the arts district and decided to grab a bite beforehand. I would recommend Howlin Rays if you're craving some fried chicken as it's the best in town. read more

Happies. Szechuan Chicken Tender Let's get straight to it. 5 stars Chicken was of a higher quality than one would normally experience when thinking of a "chicken tender". $6 A la Carte - per (Jumbo) chicken tender. When thinking about this as a concept one might ask themselves why create an upscale version of a chicken tender? Is $6 a tender really worth it? How good can a chicken tender really get and is this just another bloated or inflated idea for the indulgent and well financed to flock to - and order - to have a slightly tastier version of a cheaper model they may have had growing up. All legitimate questions and concerns I had when first discovering this place. Nonetheless, for me - purely based on merit of taste and quality - it hits. The tender tastes brined, its juicy, it pulls apart easily revealing a moist - steaming tender bite. Definitely made to order because it came out piping hot. (The way it should.) The CRUNCH ON THAT skin alone - crispy, savory, a light heat , and battered with what I would say is a quality mixture of corn meal and spiced seasonings. (No bloat) The crisp on the outside stands almost alone as its own thing separate from the tender, but together they work extremely well - all harmonizing beautifully with the sauce. I will say the skin separates from the chicken which was a new experience for me, but I didn't mind it. It was as though the chicken meat was skinless and then dipped in the batter. It felt clean. As clean as a chicken tender can feel. We chose the goji berry sauce. Bright color. Fragrant. Beautiful sweet and sour heat. You can make fucking orange chicken out of that and you would start a whole new wave of orange chicken flavor. (Genius) ... Also delicate and not overwhelmingly sugary. Overall, It feels kinda odd to harp on about a tender but I would say that perhaps that's the cool irony about a high quality chicken tender. Maybe Happies actually represents how a chicken (tender) should be experienced in terms of matching how they taste with how they make me feel. When I think about chicken tenders I also tend to think about the memories I've had where chicken tenders were involved... (lol), but also then infusing that nostalgia with a high regard for how that feeling should then be expressed through the consumption and the experience of eating the tender. (Dope) The menu is broken up into options. Most are a la carte - the chicken tenders starting at $6 -Which I dug because I didn't want to blow a tons of money just to try the main stage item. I was happy I could walk in and order a single tender, and get an idea of the level of care or thought that is being put into the food. Now if you wanted to go all out - I will say - you could you rack up the bill. $8 dollar drinks, $1.50 sauces, ice cream, other sides above $5 etc... Which in most cases would be ridiculous. Are things perpetually getting pricier over Los Angeles, absolutely. Is $8 for drink kinda ludacris - yes. Didn't even order it myself, albeit it looked pretty damn good. But I do think that what we're missing a lot in Los Angeles are more shops dedicated to a single item or concept that they just do really fucking well and curate with dignity, and quality. I believe in many ways that's what this place is. (Albeit this was just my first visit so upon return ill see if their is a shift in quality or taste for me) Quality can feel and many times, just simply is, a privileged experience to have or feel... We've turned (quality) into that in many ways, but contrary to the neighboring food establishments within the area, it feels like you can come here and have something that feels decedent at an achievable cost for the patron. The people working the joint bring the place to life - moving, saying what's up. The chef seemed to be walking around and chatting about their food, happily. The space is snug but fitting for the meal. Yes it's in the arts district, no parking isn't great, yes it's a gentrified area that sometimes can carry a certain tone to it. (Urth cafe vibe spill over). But, overall the quality is there. And I'm happy to say that I'll be back to try a few more items to see what else they have to offer, and I will definitely order a tender to start off with. I'd say give a shot - give the single tender a try, dip it in the goji sauce. And, EAT IT HOT. -Dude with Green Hat read more

Happies Hand Made - Small Just the Tenders (x2) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The fries were the star of my meal to be honest! I would go back simply for that. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of the chicken. The crust fell apart easily and was way too salty for my preference. I also felt was a bit expensive for "fast food". I will say that the interior was modern and clean and is a nice place for a date/quick lunch. Loved the self checkout option as well. read more

Happies Hand Made - Two tenders, order of fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Scrumptious umami packed crispy fries, smokey wings, perfect fried chicken tenders (despite their size they really are so tender they're not an exercise for the jaw), the waffliest waffle I've had gooey but crisp. The sauces are all great with the fries and tenders - garden fury is green/peppery/spicy/sharp, barrel aged is a classic wing sauce spicy, ranch (got to get this if you like ranch) and chili crisp are so savory (slathered my tender in it and dipped it in garden fury), home made bbq sauce was probably my number 2 with the goji sweet and sour tied. But the drinks...would definitely come back to grab a drink to go - tea was refreshing and not sweet, yuzu up had this delicious foam and fun play on sprite (favorite), passion fruit (sweetest of three but balanced). There's also a lot of drink, we finished eating and walked out with half still left. Wish had room for soft serve. Service was great, loved the ambiance, if their dining room is full can use the other side as well! Parking in front or along street wasn't hard! read more

Happies Hand Made - Yuzu-Up, Passion Fruit soda, Lemon & Mint Iced Tea - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Definitely lives up to the hype! Fast casual dining space in the Arts District right next to Tatsu, street parking is pretty easy to find. Definitely recommend ordering a combo meal - the Sichuan chicken tender is breaded perfectly, and the chicken is juicy and well seasoned. It pairs great with the liquid waffle and the amaziiiiing tallow fries. I dream about these battered fries - crispy on the outside and perfectly potato-y on the inside. All of this is served with a variety of homemade sauces, syrup, and even mini servings of Kerrygold butter. As a sauce girly myself, I honestly feel like the chicken tender stands well on its own and didn't need any additions. As for the drinks, the handmade sodas and teas were delicious and so creative. Go with a big group so you can try them all! The freezes are delicious but dangerous - you can't even tell there's alcohol, they are so tasty Finally, if you haven't had a Josh Skenes soft serve at any of his other establishments, definitely treat yourself. There isn't anything quite like it and it ruins you for all over soft serves. Service was great and food came out quickly. Would definitely come back! read more

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The waffles and tenders with chili oil were delicious! The waffle was my fav, nice and crispy. The tender had a spicy kick so for anyone who can't handle it be warned. I personally thought it tasted really well paired with the waffles. We also tried the passion fruit soft serve along with the strawberry. Both tasted great read more

We showed up shortly after they opened on a Sunday and it was busy already! The wait wasn't too bad and you order by yourself on touchscreens. We ordered the liquid waffles, tenders, fries and some drinks. The wait did take a while but it made sense since there was a steady flow of people coming through! We sat on the other side of the restaurant (where the ramen shop was) because all the seats were taken up on Happies' side but we could still hear our names being called when our order was ready. We did mistakenly order more fries than needed... They were very generous with the fries! All the sauces were so tasty and I'm a big sauce girl! The garden fury was probably my favorite! The flavors were perfect and I even ordered more to take home (although it is best enjoyed hot and fresh!) The only thing is I wish there was some coleslaw to accompany the tenders, otherwise 10/10 experience Then for dessert, we shared the honeycomb, strawberry and passion fruit soft serves and man... They were all so good! Looking forward to going there again in the near future! read more

I can't believe this deliciousness is on my block. I read about it opening and rushed over there on its 2nd day. I wasn't very hungry so I went for the chicken tenders with salad. The menu sounded so good it was difficult to just stick with that for my order. I'm saving the beef tallow fries for next time. They delivered the tray to my table, and I was floored by the size of the tenders. They were very big. One sat on the tray, the other in my salad bowl. I cut into its crunchy shell and juices were flowing out from the tender. It smelled a little smoky and there was a little chili that also flowed from where I cut into it. The batter was so crunchy, so savory, smoky, slightly sweet, slightly spicy...it was the best bite of fried chicken I've ever had. I tried the salad...it was citrusy and you could taste the umami of the anchovy without it being fishy at all. It was a perfect balance. The juice from the chicken eventually ended up on my salad and the blend of flavors was mind melting. I finished one tender and the salad and asked to take the other tender home. The staff was so nice. I got to try their soft serve with strawberry sauce which was perfection. The soft serve was so rich and milky and the strawberry sauce reminded me of the kind my mother used to make. The drinks here sound so good ...something else I have to try when I come next time. Coconut rum freeze? Yes please. I'm happy to report that I had the chicken straight out of the fridge the next morning - I couldn't stop thinking about the flavor. I didn't heat it up or anything...it was still incredibly juicy and still as delicious! I'm really impressed and I've been craving it ever since. read more

Happies Hand Made - The best chicken tenders with their delicious salad. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Los Angeles, California